He Hove To, And Shortly After
Two Canoes Put Off From The Land, Bringing Bushart And The Lascar, Both
In Excellent Health.
Now, Dillon observed that the Lascar sold an old silver sword guard to
one of the ST.
PATRICK'S crew in return for a few fish hooks. This made
him inquisitive. He asked the Prussian where it came from. Bushart
informed him that when he first arrived at the island he saw in
possession of the natives, not only this sword guard, but also several
chain plates, iron bolts, axes, the handle of a silver fork, some
knives, tea cups, beads, bottles, a silver spoon bearing a crest and
monogram, and a sword. He asked where these articles were
obtained, and the natives told him that they got them from the
Mannicolo (or Vanikoro) cluster of islands, two days' canoe voyage from
Tucopia, in the Santa Cruz group.
"Upon examining the sword minutely" wrote Dillon, "I discovered, or
thought I discovered, the initials of Perouse stamped on it, which
excited my suspicion and made me more exact in my inquiries. I then, by
means of Bushart and the Lascar, questioned some of the islanders
respecting the way in which their neighbours procured the silver and
iron articles. They told me that the natives of Mannicolo stated that
many years ago two large ships arrived at their islands; one anchored
at the island of Whanoo, and the other at the island of Paiou, a little
distance from each other. Some time after they anchored, and before
they had any communication with the natives, a heavy gale arose and
both vessels were driven ashore.
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